Telling the truth to seriously ill children

Grant number: DP170102906 | Funding period: 2017 - 2021

Completed

Abstract

This project aims to investigate how doctors and parents give information to young children who have serious medical conditions. Ethical and clinical guidelines agree that even young children should be given open, accurate and honest information in a developmentally appropriate way. However, doctors find this a challenging and uncertain area, and children do not receive open communication. This project aims to understand factors influencing the doctors and parents‘ real-life decisions of what and when to tell a child; undertake a practical ethical analysis; and produce practical guidelines and educational resources for parents and doctors. This project intends to improve the experience for y..

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Related publications (3)

Telling the truth to seriously ill children: Considering children's interests when parents veto telling the truth

Lynn Gillam, Merle Spriggs, Maria McCarthy, Clare Delany

2022-05-19

How should clinicians respond when parents will not allow their child to know the truth about their medical condition and treatmen..

Telling the Truth to Child Cancer Patients in COVID-19 Times

Lynn Gillam, Merle Spriggs, Clare Delany, Rachael Conyers, Maria McCarthy

2020-11-09

A notable feature of the COVID-19 pandemic is that children are less at risk of becoming infected or, if infected, less likely to ..

Telling the truth to young children: Ethical reasons for information disclosure in paediatrics

Nicholas Hudson, Merle Spriggs, Lynn Gillam

2019-01-01

When parents ask doctors not to disclose certain information to a child, doctors are challenged to articulate ethical reasons for ..

University of Melbourne Researchers

Lynn Gillam Paediatrics Royal Children's Hospital

Clare Delany Medical Education